BAILOUT

September 26, 2008

Dear Kay,
QUICK! It’s become clear that we have to help with a bailout!
A bloggist whom we admire, Brainy Lady Alison, is trying to offload her copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines. She’s got to get rid of the thing because it’s TOO BIG to read in the bathtub.
Brainy Lady, we hear ya! It weighs two pounds! It’s a brick! We’re sick of stepping around it all the time! How are we supposed to HOLD it? It’s put us off knitting entirely. Makes us realize how much ROOM knitting takes up. We’re moving on to some tinier craft. Toothpick log cabins. Polymer Barbie buttons. Tatting.
She’s running a giveaway over at her place, so if you’d like to help out with this situation and take on the burden of housing Brainy Lady’s cast-off book at your house, she’s taking entries all weekend.
Love,
Ann
PS Brainy Lady’s 2004 account of bra shopping in Taipei, here and here, remains one of my favorite stories ever.

23 Comments

Ouch!
I must recuse myself from this contest; I already own the tome. I discussed in public on my own blog, and anyway, it wouldn’t be sporting to own two of them (although they could cover up two areas for bathtub shots). VBG!

Stephanie B.
September 26, 2008 at 1:57 pm

Love the photo, though I too already own the book, but may buy a second at the signing (apparently my husband really annoyed the Seaport Yarn folks for bringing and not buying last time).

Yeah, those books sure can be inconvenient things to have around the house…. Oops, wait. They’re one of my favorite design elements!
(That was me scoffing at all the designers who artistically place a few books on a bookshelf mostly filled with knick-knacks … or who talk about “people with a lot of book” as defined by those who can only fit 3 or 4 decorative elements on their bookshelves. As opposed, you know, to the people whose bookshelves are crammed full of books and are still overflowing. But, of course, that’s beside the point because a crowded bookcase isn’t as treacherous for a book as a soapy bathtub!)

I just want to claim credit for doing the strong photoshopping on that picture. It was my first use ever of the “make something look like it was dropped in the bathtub” tool. Aka the “moistening wand”.
RITBSBVCLOL. (Rolling in the bathtub surrounded by votive candles LOL).
xo Kay

I have high hopes of winning this book. My house has only a shower. Seems like fate.

Katie
September 26, 2008 at 4:48 pm

A counterpoint – the other day I was having a lousy rotten afternoon (bad work meeting, son injured on playground requiring emergency room visit, husband had to work very late). When I got home, Outside the Lines was waiting at my doorstop. After getting the kids to bed I propped my feet up (not in the bathtub) and read the entire thing. Ladies, you were the highlight of my week. Thanks for that.

jm
September 26, 2008 at 5:10 pm

That’s a hilarious, and great, review. It’s strange, isn’t it, to go through the public review process.
I’m planning to pay full price in an LYS. Or maybe at the U Bookstore.
I did sit at Barnes & Noble the other day, perusing and being generally inspired by “Outside the Lines”. Drooling, too, but not on the book. I can hardly wait to read about Fair Isle. (I’ll have to post pictures some day of my baby kimonos, they’re perfect for babes with abnormally long left arms, and extremely short torsos. I might be a mediocre knitter, but I’m consistent.)

I already have the book, too, but I’m sure someone will help Brainy Lady!
Also, Ann and Kay, I wanted to tell you I have a new favorite sentence: “Superfoxy matrons flee, dragging handknits behind them.” Excellent! I hope I qualify as a Superfoxy Matron.

Diane
September 26, 2008 at 7:21 pm

Perhaps if Brainy Lady wasn’t so busy sipping champagne, she would then be able to hold the book using BOTH hands, with no problema.
But when she finally realizes the value of what she has given away, that wine will sure come in handy…
LoveDiane

Too big for the bath tub? I disagree. In fact, I had a dishcloth conversion in the bath tub last week while reading the chapter on household knitting. Having been anti dishcloth a long time, reading this book and having a big ole glass of red wine in the tub spurred me to make a gift of a knitted dishcloth AND aroma therapy dish detergent to a coworker.
People in the office are still laughing about why a professional woman would knit a dishcloth, though.

The new book may be too big to read in the bathtub (I wish I had such a luxurious bathtub!), but I have found it’s perfect “toilet reading.” Currently, my copy is in my bathroom, ready to be picked up and read during my “comtemplation breaks.”

Kathy
September 27, 2008 at 12:51 pm

Hmmmmmmmm. A REAL bailout involves extortion. So you should have told her that if she didn’t hand over the $700 billion (oops, I mean the Mason-Dixon knitting book), you would take the bathtub away. Then it would have been more authentic….

Marilla
September 27, 2008 at 2:00 pm

Love the picture! I think I’d be able to read it in the tub, but I have a bad habit of falling asleep while reading there, so only take paperbacks in with me.
I took my copy of your book to my spinning group and every person who looked at it loved it, said they wanted to knit most everything in it, and wanted to get themselves a copy. The hands down favorite thing was the Margaret Sweater. Much discussion ensued about what quotes would be written on it.
It is a fantastic book, and the person who wins Brainy Lady’s copy will be fortunate indeed.

DianeH
September 27, 2008 at 3:45 pm

Alison needs a podcast for her bath! Loved the brabythegram account. Also loved the bra modeled by the “lit from within” lady model!

dawn shen
September 27, 2008 at 10:11 pm

I visited my husband’s family in Taiwan 10 years ago. I was surprised to find the bras as beautiful as my mother in law said as most Taiwanese fashions are pretty dowdy to American eyes. I never bought any though because I am an all natural 38J. Just try finding an oriental lady that size!

Hi Ann & Kay,
I just want to let you know that I love your second book! Love it! The Liberty blanket is simply gorgeous. Fern makes me wish I had a little one to knit for. I even like the Picnic Bag despite the fact that I am not a knitted bag person. Cardi Cozy is definitely on the top of my to do list.
And the Hall of Shame is a brilliant idea.
So, a big thank you for such a great book.

Meg
September 28, 2008 at 6:23 pm

I broke down and bought the book today. I had promised my husband so it could be a birthday present at the end of October but life is too short to wait for a book sitting right there on the shelf at the store!
I’ve barely waded in but I’m loving it and, being a shower person, can’t quite figure out the bath tub connection. It fits perfectly with me in my big old knitting chair!
(Great job photoshopping Kay…add that to your list of talents!)

Hi Kay and Ann
My copy has finally arrived, and I love it! No one is getting their greedy hands on this even if it is too big to read in the bath.
I am a frequent reader of your blog but don’t often post. Not sure if you do tags or not but I have tagged you on mine. Thought you would enjoy the read if nothing else.
Have fun and knit on >^..^Hi Kay and Ann
My copy has finally arrived, and I love it! No one is getting their greedy hands on this even if it is too big to read in the bath.
I am a frequent reader of your blog but don’t often post. Not sure if you do tags or not but I have tagged you on mine. Thought you would enjoy the read if nothing else.
Have fun and knit on >^..^<

Phoebe K
September 29, 2008 at 3:03 am

I love the book but I have it and don’t need the copy. Unfortunately the sweater I like best SK8R, is only available in kids sizes. Please PLEASE PLEASE publish the pattern in adult’s sizes….

Hey there,
Love the book, first of all. I already have one small human I’ve knit for, and a week and a half ago I became an aunt for the first time and now I have a second little girl to knit for.
Towards that end, though, I was checking out the “Emma Peel” girls’ dress pattern (it’d be GREAT for the bigger girl, my best friend’s daughter), and I got confused by something – it looks like at some point in the pattern someone got confused whether to knit with the main color or the contrast color at different points. When you’re knitting the “belt” part, the pattern says to knit it in the MC, but the picture looks like it’s the CC. ….I’m a bit confused?
…I mean, I can wing it and do whatever I want, I know, but just checking whether that’s the only spot that happened.
Thanks!